Hidden Identity
by The Sage of Spirits
Summary: He was a prince who descended onto the earth for his father; he was to help the Chosen go through the trials as a common traveler. Hiding his true identity, he heads for the Village of Oracles and thus begins his journey...
1. Prologue: The Opening

_**The Sage of Spirits:** Well, as some of you may know, this is my "Prince Lloyd" story, inspired by Alaia Skyhawk.  
**Genis:** Lloyd? A prince? No way!  
**Lloyd: **Shut up Genis!  
**Colette: **Aw, I think it's cute!  
**Me:** How many of you are planning on showing up? -face palms-  
**Genis: **Just us three.  
**Me: **Oh, good. Someone take care of the disclaimer.  
**Colette: **Okay! The Sage of Spirits doesn't own Tales or Namco!  
**Lloyd:** This isn't going to be another Cruxis Lloyd, is it?  
**Me: **My secret for all of you to find out. Please read!_  
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**Hidden Identity**

**Prologue: The Opening**

In the world of Sylvarant, all people believe in the ideology that all angels are all of Cruxis. They believe that their world is watched over by a Goddess named Martel, and that their world will be regenerated forever…

…But "they" know that this is not true.

"They" are the sky dwellers, who live upon a fantasy of pure magic – the clouds. Their kingdom lies upon the largest of clouds as they float around the world of Sylvarant. As impossible as one may think, they all live in peace, making their life a simple one. They all work on the building of homes as they continue to grow and flourish, raising their young ones until their maturity.

This kingdom is called Raikys, "The Sky Rain Kingdom."

These beings are angels – natural angels, as one may describe them; they are born with wings, and they learn how to use them before they even learn to walk. And unlike the angels of Cruxis, all of these sky dwellers are born with translucent wings, not the solid, bird-like wings their "brethren" (as they try not to associate with them) have. They live as if they are immortal; their appearance never changes as they grow older.

There is no starvation – they have no need for food or water, or rest even. There is no crime – there are none that are corrupt. There is no competition – everyone has a job to perform, and everyone helps each other in unity. There is no pay for their work – they have no need for currency. The only exception in the use of currency is held by the Royal Family, who is frequently required to head down to the ground for missions unknown to the public.

But continuing on, there are known differences between the two groups of angels. Unlike the Cruxian angels, these angels are capable of feeling, loving, even making love; the Royal Family made sure of that. Also these angels are not limited to simply "half-elves:" they consist of humans, elves and half-elves, but much unlike the world below them, they accept and trust each other fully. They are well aware of their surroundings as they gaze over with watchful eyes to the ground with awe.

There is a city called Railos, where the Royal Family resides, marking it as the capital city. Within this town there are the angels that live within its borders. These angels set up the lower level of their homes as a shop of sorts, stocked with their special type of goods they happen to provide, where their fellow angels and neighbors may come and pick up whatever goods they need within reason and leave. By law, there is to be a time of "temporary closing," where each family has a time of togetherness with their respective families, giving them the chance to enjoy their life and not worry about others coming in and ruining their precious time together.

Their homes are made of magical wood – unlike what many believe, the clouds (at least their clouds) are solid, thus they are able to build upon them. Most homes are simple: adorned with a simple nameplate of gold, with the names of their family (at least those that live there) chiseled into the pure substance, and a simple white door handle, by almost stark contrast to the brown wooden surface of their door. The homes for now are spaced apart yet in a line, given the vastness of their grand kingdom on the clouds.

A large building can easily be seen from any view. Anyone can tell one that this is where the Royal Family resides. The king and queen are respected for and wide by the angels they govern.

The king is a powerful man named Kratos Aurion; a man with a past he never reveals to his people. His auburn hair runs rampant upon his head, his red wine eyes capable of piercing through the defenses of a weak heart. He rules with his wife, Anna Aurion – a compassionate woman with a heart of gold. Her long, light brown hair blows gracefully in the winds, reddish green eyes full of hope and promise. Together, they bore a son – the young prince Lloyd Aurion, the boy's dark brown hair just as messy as his father's with eyes just as red. All three lived together in absolute happiness.

However, every so often an emissary of Cruxis will walk these grounds, seeking for their aid. While this kingdom will not ally themselves with the Cruxis angels, they have not given word to count them as enemies. Thus, they remain neutral. It is said that they have even help each other at times, but this has yet to be confirmed…

We find an emissary standing before the king and queen even as we speak…

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_**Me:** Phew... Now that that's done, I can work on BM... Man, that's in dire need of an update...  
**Lloyd:** Is this a Cruxis Lloyd story or not?!  
**Me:** Not telling. And this chapter was meant to be in present tense; it will be in past tense next chapter. I wanted to give the prologue a story tale feel to it. Hope I pulled it off...  
**Collete:** So... It's not a Cruxis Lloyd story?  
**Genis: **Or it is...?  
**Me:** Still not telling; it'll be obvious in the next chapter though. But, if you read the chapter, you may figure it out... Please review!_


	2. Descent

_**The Sage of Spirits:** Chapter 1! I know, I should be working on I WIll Find You, but I had the urge to write this, so I did.  
**Genis:** When ARE you going to work on it?  
**Me: **I'll be working on it!  
**Lloyd: **Sure.  
**Me: **Disclaimer.  
**Colette: **Okay! The Sage of Spirits doesn't own Tales or Namco! However, he does own the Raiki, Raikys, and any OCs. But he partially owns one , and the other part belongs to Alaia Skyhawk.  
**Me:** Well, I may as well tell you all - this is NOT a Cruxis Lloyd story. -heavy gasps- Yes, I know; shocking. Please read!_  
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**Hidden Identity**

**Chapter 1: Descent **

The two thrones sat adjacent to each other as the two rulers sat side by side, holding hands together tightly. Kratos, the king, wore a white outfit with a touch of navy blue; lavender stripes ran across his arms and shoulders and down his pant legs. Several brown, leather belts wrapped themselves around his chest and white open-fingered gloves stuck to his hands. At his side sat his famed sword, Flameberge – its design shaped as a blazing, red fire.

Anna, the queen, wore an elegant white dress made of fine silk, a soft navy blue running across at approximately one inch off the tips of her dress from each point of which her arms and legs were. Upon her ring finger of her left hand was a golden ring, adorned with a simple diamond – the symbol of their undying love; it was the only accessory she ever wore. Leaning against her throne was her bow, Waterflow – its pale and dark blue colors swirled smoothly throughout the handle and limbs.

They talked to the woman who appeared before them – her emerald hair partially covered her face, but one could say that she prioritized on the status of beauty and appearance. However, her outfit was best described as gaudy and encircling her were bizarre spikes that seemed to keep her afloat.

She was the current emissary from Cruxis.

"Your Highness, I come from Cruxis, asking that you would provide us with some of your assistance so that we may bring the current Chosen of Sylvarant safely to the Tower of Salvation. We have been keeping a close eye on this particular Chosen, discovering that she may have the closest match to Lady Martel thus far. That said, we may be able to reunite the two worlds after the resurrection of the lady. Would you care to assist us?"

Kratos grew intrigued with these said statements; Yggdrasil may reunite the worlds? A great and treacherous lie at that; Yggdrasil had no reason to simply reunite the worlds after he supposedly lost his will for peace and harmony…

And after he lost his mind…

Kratos frowned; what was he to do? "And what are the odds of your 'success?'" He asked her; she lightly chuckled.

"Why, it depends on what you decide, Your Highness. We have a great chance already, and if we were to have your aid, we would succeed indefinitely." She stated, raising a hand to her face. She stroked her soft skin, which she worked hard on for years to retain, trying her best to hold onto her mortal beauty.

"Well, at this time I cannot leave this place; I must tend to the angels after all." He replied. "Beloved, are you capable of going?" He turned his slightly pale face towards his wife, who slowly shook her head.

"No, I cannot, dear – my research is starting to get off of its feet, and I cannot leave or else I shall fail. Who do you suppose would go?" She said, almost forcing her voice to remain calm. Needless to say, Anna did not enjoy being in close quarters to one of Yggdrasil's lackeys.

"I see. Then we shall see if Lloyden will go." He said, watching his beloved queen's reaction. She was not particularly happy about such an idea, but relented; their son needed to perform his duties. Sighing heavily, she nodded her head; it was just too soon for her… "Alright then; tell Yggdrasil that we will send our son to go and report to us. We shall base our judgment on that, and that is what I will stick by to."

Sighing, Pronyma let out a soft smirk onto her purple lips – it was not a COMPLETE failure. "As you wish. Good day, Your Highness." She said and turned around; she hovered over the floor as she exited the palace. Anna sighed; her son was to leave her…

"Kratos, are you sure he is ready?" Kratos smiled back reassuringly at her.

"Of course he is – he has been training for this for years. Plus he needs to see the worlds; we cannot simply keep him sheltered up here." He explained; she closed her eyes as she called for her friend.

"Tiana." She called out. The light brown-haired woman flew on purple-colored wings to the throne. Her blue eyes shined brightly with utter exuberance, something this strong-willed woman failed to loose during her transformation. "Would you mind fetching Lloyden please? Even if our hearing had improved dramatically, he still would not be able to hear me." Anna giggled lightly; Tiana smiled.

"Of course Anna; it would give me the chance to check up on my daughter." She replied.

Tiana was a woman Anna had met while they were both considered ground dwellers. While neither enjoyed discussing where their meeting place was (nor did it matter, for they were no longer there), they became the best of friends before they were taken to the sky, where she became the Head Nurse and even Countess in her own right.

After nodding her head, she took off for the courtyard…

--------------------------------------------------------------_Lloyd…_------------------------------------------------------------------------

A young teen stood on the pathway as he stared at the drifting clouds in the far off distance. He wore a pure white outfit with blue trimmings on his boots, shoulders and cuffs and a touch of red and gold, as well as a red scarf and band wrapped around his neck. Strapped around his waist were twin swords.

A young girl, sporting a long, white skirt and blue shirt, soon joined him. Her long, light-brown hair swayed in the gentle breeze, her blue ribbon flapping slightly, as they stared at the picturesque scene together.

"Master Lloyd…" She began. "Are you ready to train with me? It is time for our second weekly bout, if you happen to forget." The teen referred to as "Lloyd" chuckled at her after he groaned at the way she addressed him.

"You don't have to call me 'Master Lloyd' you know… You can simply call me 'Lloyd;' after all, we practically grew up together. Your Mom took care of us when my Mom had to attend to her duties; you shouldn't have to call me that." He told her; she shook her head violently.

"No Master Lloyd, it doesn't matter that our Moms raised us together; you are above me. I must show my respect to you regardless and there is nothing you can do to change it." She said, her expression taking on a serious tone. He sighed; at least he had managed to stop her from calling him "Master Lloyden…"

"Alright then, are you ready, Alysia?" He asked the young girl; she shook her head, asking for but a single moment. She pulled out one of her throwing daggers from her belt and a four-foot wooden pole, reinforced with magic, out of her wingpack. There was a slot at the top, where she stuck her dagger in. Lloyd was shocked at what she was doing. "Alysia, you plan on using your glaive?"

She nodded her head. "Of course, Master Lloyd. This is our practice of steel – and according to our rules, if one fighter uses a close-range weapon and the other uses both a close-range and a distance weapon, the close-range weapon must be used." She recited from memory. Lloyd sighed heavily; he really wanted to train, so he just let it go and not be foolish enough to sway her from using her glaive. "But first, would you like to…?"

He chuckled again, completely forgetting the spell. "Of course. Oh holy spirits, bring down upon us your divine protection!" He chanted, the palm of his hand faced the girl as he moved it from the left side to the right. "Heaven's Breath!" Rainbow-colored barriers surrounded them. "Aylsia, you could have done it too, you know…"

"Yes, but your magic is a lot stronger than mine, even if I'm more of a healer than you – you are part of the Royal Family." She said. "Any other restrictions, Master Lloyd?"

"Yeah; besides no magic, this time, no wings - you never know when I may have to fight with ground dwellers." He chuckled. She nodded her head, and the fight began.

The two stared each other down, waiting for the other to make their move. Lloyd grew impatient, waiting for the grinning girl to attack, and charged for her. Alysia pointed her glaive at him, as if she were trying to impale him; he knew this simple trick was always her first gambit. Jumping into the air he took his sword in his left hand and brought it down upon the glaive harshly, forcing it down long enough to get a decent blow to her side. She sidestepped to the right, narrowly dodging his sword.

She pulled her glaive from beneath Lloyd's sword and thrust it forwards. Lloyd easily took a step back and quickly brought the hilt of his sword to Alysia's chest – he got the first blow. Growling, Alysia brought her glaive up swiftly and scratched Lloyd across the cheek. Thanks to Heaven's Breath, the mark disappeared as quickly as it came. Alysia smirked; she got her first blow. They were tied one-to-one…

"Master Lloyden, Anna wishes to see you." Tiana said. Lloyd and Alysia sighed; they just started their training…

"Alysia, we shall have to continue our training later – you know how my Father is if I do not show up on time…" He sighed twice as hard – once for the interruption and twice for the fact that Anna does not like it when Lloyd says "Mom and Dad" instead of "Mother and Father."

She was always a stickler for etiquette. Personally, Lloyd thought that she only told him that because that was what she thought his father expected him to call them; whether he was right or not, he did not bother to question it as he got used to calling them by their formal parenting names.

Giving his foster sister a quick wave, he sprang up into the air – his blue wings that held a touch of red out – and he flew for the Throne Room. Tiana watched as he flew off.

""He is just like his father more than anything, I swear; wouldn't you say Alysia?" She asked the young teenage girl, who nodded her head.

"Yes, Master Lloyd does take a lot after his father, the king, Mom." She told Tiana as she stared up at the woman, her bluish-green eyes as determined as her mother. "He will make a fine king when his time comes. And I'm sure he will be a terrific husband to the girl he is destined for."

--------------------------------------------------------------_The Throne Room…_---------------------------------------------------------

Lloyd flew through the hallway, watching as every servant in the palace stopped what they were doing to nod to the approaching prince. Before he made that final turn that lead to the Throne Room, he landed in front of a window to see if he needed to fold over any crease on his clothes; he spotted a tiny spot that required attention and rubbed it flat. With that finished, he walked into the Throne Room.

As he approached he noticed that his mother was not in her chair. Confused, he decided to question the only other person there…

"Father, where is Mother?" He asked; Kratos put up his hand, his palm facing the boy.

"Lloyden first, call me 'Dad;' I know how tiring it is for you to call me 'Father,' and quite frankly I am tired of it as well." He smiled as he saw Lloyd's face beam. "However, only when your mother is not around; she would have a cow if she heard you call me 'Dad.' Although, since she is in her studies, I doubt she will hear us." He said.

"Well, why did she call for me then, if she went to her studies?"

"It is more that I need you right now, not your mother. Lloyden, I would like for you to go to the surface world and escort Sylvarant's Chosen – your duty as part of the Royal Family." Kratos told the boy, who fell silent. "Is something the matter?"

"No, no! I was just thinking about what I would do when I get down there! I've been waiting for this moment, really. In fact, what is ironic is that Alysia and I were doing our second training for the week and I decided on fighting without wings as to prepare me for when I must fight with the ground dwellers."

"Ah, I see. Well, are you willing to go?" He asked the question; Lloyd nodded his head but once. "Alright then, let me give you this." He said, reaching into his shirt; he pulled out a golden locket. Lloyd walked up to reach the object from his father's hand and he opened the locket – it was a simple picture of Kratos, Anna and a younger version (perhaps not even a toddler) of himself.

"Fath- Dad, are you sure about giving this to me? I mean, this is one of your most treasured belongings…"

"Lloyden, I believe you should have it, as a reminder of us when you need us the most. And besides, I have many more pictures of both you and your mother in the Master Bedroom, as well as pictures of all of us together. Go on, it is yours." Kratos commanded; he watched with fatherly pride as Lloyd put the locket around his neck and tucked it under his clothes.

"Thanks, Dad." He smiled, his reddish-brown eyes bright and cheerful.

"You are welcome Lloyden." He smiled back. "Now Lloyden, you must not wear those clothes while on the ground – it will draw attention to you instantly. You may take them with you if you wish, but you mustn't wear them. You will need new clothes. I asked the royal tailor to make you new ones; I will bring them to you when they are ready. I will also bring you some of the gald the ground dwellers use as currency; you will be given plenty – I've accumulated a lot over the years. Now go prepare, my son." He said. Lloyd nodded his head and headed for his room…

--------------------------------------------------------------_Lloyd's Room…_--------------------------------------------------------------

Lloyd was busy packing whatever belongings he felt were necessary into his wingpack – gels of all kinds, bottles of potions to keep the monsters at bay, and plenty of Life Bottles. After all, he was always told to go prepared. While he was packing the last of his supplies, Alysia walked in.

"Hey Alysia, what do you need?" He asked without turning around. She walked up to him and gave him a light hug.

"You're going aren't you?" She said, no louder than a whisper.

"Yeah, I'll be leaving for… Iselia I believe it was. No, before you even think about it, you cannot go – this is for me only. I must do my part-" He began when she placed her pointer finger on his mouth.

"I know, Master Lloyd… That's why I've come to give you this." She said, handing him an ocarina.

"Alysia, isn't this your ocarina? Wait… it looks a bit different… Did you make this yourself?" He asked the young teenager, who began to smile brightly at the confused prince.

"Yep!" She said cheerfully, smiling brightly with her eyes closed. "I made it just for you! I was going to give it to you for your birthday, but by the looks of things, you won't be here when that happens. So Happy Early Birthday!" She shouted, giving the prince another, longer hug; he chuckled when they broke apart.

"Thanks Alysia, your craftwork is simply amazing. I'll play it on the clear night winds; maybe you'll even get to hear it." He smiled, his cheeks holding a pinkish blush; she merely giggled at the flushed prince, who she, once again, surprised.

"Anytime." She replied as she turned to leave him in peace before he must leave. The door closed behind her, a single tear ran down her normally upbeat face; she brought her hand up to her cheek and the tear ran down her finger.

_Good luck…_

An hour had past before his father came into his room, holding the garments that he will be wearing for quite some time; it was a peculiar outfit – it was almost entirely red (as were the boots) with white buttons and a white band around the neck collar. It also had a pair of brown, leather belts that ran down the front of the shirt and crossed on the back, and had red gloves to cover up the symbol of the Royal Family on the back of his left hand. The apparel was completed with grey slacks that appeared to be overalls more than anything.

What surprised Lloyd the most was that he actually liked it. Although he did not like the overalls, that would have to be dealt with; after all, he is finally going down to see the worlds for all their worth. Maybe if he was lucky, he would be able to see some of his relatives – his mother always told him about her parents and her older brother.

_Where did they live again? Bah, I'll worry about it later – after all, I'm going down to the worlds! I'll worry about it then._

He put on the red outfit, placed an exsphere on his left glove (to hide the fact that he did not need the use of an exsphere to perform powerful sword techniques), strapped on his sheaths and his wingpack and looked into the mirror. He sighed; it just was not his normal outfit, but it still liked it for (to him) reasons unknown. After he grabbed the bag that contained half a million gald (A "lump sum," according to his father), he went to the Throne Room to tell his parents that he was ready to leave.

They walked through the hallway to the Port on the eastern side of the palace, Tiana and Alysia not far behind. Lloyd turned around and gave them each a hug.

"Mother, I will be home before you know it." He smiled weakly, hoping to relieve Anna's nerves even a tiny bit. She smiled back, albeit just as weakly.

"I know you will; stay safe, my son." She clutched her husband on the shoulders, pulling herself into slight embrace. She placed her head on his shoulder, crying. Alysia hugged her mother, tears also streaming down her face. Tiana tried her best to remain strong for them; she promised Kratos that she would not cry. Yet she found that the restraints she kept on her eyes were slowly weakening; she had to close them in order to keep the tears from running down her cheek.

"Don't die, Lloyden…" He said solemnly, closing his eyes then reopening them as he watched him fly off into the sky…

--------------------------------------------------------------_Iselia…_----------------------------------------------------------

In the Village of Oracles, there was a tale of a blond-haired maiden, born from an angel, who was destined to go on a journey to the Seals of Sylvarant – Fire, Water, Wind and Light – so that she could awaken the 'Goddess' Martel to seal away the Desians.

That maiden was called the Chosen of Regeneration – her name was Colette Brunel.

She sat at her desk in the middle row inside of the village schoolhouse, stuck between two children who tended to avoid her, no matter how she tried to make more friends. Her only true friend was the elf Genis, and his sister Raine, who was their teacher at the school. In fact, they were in the middle of an important lesson…

"Mithos, the Hero, brought about the end of the Kharlan War… Where did he end the Kharlan War?" The elven teacher asked. Her orange coat moved along with her, her white hair a partial mess; she wore the look of a scholar on her face.

She asked the simple question, still waiting for someone other than her brother to answer it. Finding not another hand, she sighed; what was the use of teaching if they don't recall anything?

"Genis, what is the answer?" The boy stood up, his blue shirt and shorts in desperate need to be folded to remove the wrinkles, and his hair was long overdue of either a haircut or a brush over.

"Mithos, the Hero, brought about the end of the war in the Holy Ground of Kharlan." He stated, sitting down again.

"Correct. Afterwards the Goddess left her heavenly edict, but was succumbed to slumber. Unable to awaken her themselves, the angels bore the Chosen One, who must head to the Tower of Salvation to awaken her. Today is the Day of Prophecy. Chosen One, Colette, what is the procedure to waken the Goddess from her slumber?" The blond-haired girl stood up upon hearing her name; her white attire held strong with a touch of blue and gold.

"The journey's purpose is to seal the Desians. Upon the awakening of the Goddess Martel, the Desians will cease to exist, and the world will be reborn."

"…I expected as much from the Chosen to know that." She smiled. "Now, onto the next question…" She began, when a blinding light shined through the windows high above the school's wall. The students grew restless – they crawled underneath of their desks in a hopeless attempt to shield themselves from the white light; nothing worked, and they were forced to cover their eyes with their arms.

_It is time already…?_

"Settle down, everyone." Raine commanded. "It seems that the time has come. I will head for the chapel and see if they are ready for you, Colette. Everyone stay here and study on your own." She said as she ran off through the wooden doorway. Colette never gave leaving on her own a second thought…

Until moments later when a dying priest crawled in…

"Pastor!" Colette shouted as she ran over to the dying man; he had a gashing wound to the side of his stomach, the blood gushing at an alarming rate. Searching for something to use to stop the bleeding, she ran for her desk, but found nothing inside that could help. She ran over, tearing streaming her face, knowing that he was going to die…

"Chosen, you must… perform the Oracle… But be careful… the Desians broke the Non-Aggression Treaty… I'm sorry… for not being able… to protect you… Chosen…" He gasped one last time as his life's spirit left his old body – he was gone…

"Pastor, hold on! Please!" She begged; she grabbed his wrist, holding it tightly as if to give him some of her life's force, but all in vain. The tears continued to fall as she completely helpless to even be able to save one solitary life…

"Genis, I have to go to the temple… I have to…" She stood up and headed for the door, wiping her watery eyes dry; she had to be strong... Genis ran over and grabbed her arm. "G-Genis…?"

She looked into his misty eyes, obviously shaken up by the series of events; he was obviously pretending to be fine when in fact he was not. "I'll… I'll go with you; Sis could be in trouble."

With solemn grimaces, they went outside; Frank hurried over and saw the two children leave the school.

"Colette! Are you going to the temple…?" He asked; she nodded her head. "I see… I don't think there is anything I can say to stop you, just… be careful, okay Colette? I don't want you to get hurt…" His voice held a seriousness tone, filled with worry. "If you need to be healed, come and see me."

They parted ways, Colette and Genis slowly making their way to the temple, where Desians await them…

--------------------------------------------------------------_Lloyd…_-----------------------------------------------------------

Lloyd was flying across the sky, overlooking the vast ocean below; he saw the birds he had seen before – they were of no shock to him. It was the fish that surprised him. He had seen fish only as pictures mixed in within lines of black text, within his studies, and yet here they were, jumping out of the water and into the air, and finally they splashed back down into the ocean. Every so often, he would see a pelican scoop up a couple of fish and ate them. Already, he was enjoying the scene.

He pulled out the map he put into his wingpack and looked for the Martel Temple; he spotted the desert from high above in the southwest and, according to both the map and his studies, he needed to head to the west further still. He found the temple roughly half-an-hour later; he also found some Renegades there. Sighing heavily, he would have to pretend to face them no doubt – ground dwellers could not tell the difference between "Desian" and "Renegade." And he needed to protect the Chosen, so any interaction with those that appear to be Desians that was not hostile would not be in his best favor.

Sighing, he decided to just strike at the Renegades; he thought HE would not mind – after all, HE wanted them to appear to be Desians…

Landing softly in a nearby bush, he watched as two children headed for the temple – a young girl with blond hair and a young boy with silver hair. Curious as to why these two ground-dwelling children were heading for the temple, he secretly followed them. He saw them with their confrontation with the Renegades and tuned in to their conversation…

"Why are you Desians doing here? We have a Non-Aggression Treaty! You shouldn't even be here!" The young boy shouted. Lloyd stifled his laughter; this ground-dwelling boy was obviously not that bright if he could not tell the difference–

_Wait, that smell and mana… He must be…_ Lloyd thought as he tuned back in; he had to be a half-elf.

"Desians? You think we're Desians?" One said to the other, chuckling loudly. "Fine then, die at the hands of the Desians you so hate!" Lloyd frowned when he saw three Renegades charge towards the two innocent teens; obviously they must have heard that the "Desians" came by and only they had the courage to go against them. Being the refined prince that he is, he could not idly sit by and watch; he charged into battle, his twin-swords pulled in one fluent motion.

"Haaah!" He jumped into the air, landing in front of the startled teens.

"Who-" Colette was about to ask when Lloyd put his finger to his mouth; this was NOT the time for to ask for someone's name...

"We can get to introductions, later! For now we have a fight to win!" He smiled at the girl, who nodded; he was right – now was not the time for introductions. She pulled out her chakrams from behind her back and prepared to fight.

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_**Me:** So how was the OC, Alaia? Did I get it down right?  
**Lloyd:** You aren't pairing me up with an OC are ya?  
**Me:** Oh no, I hate ICxOC love pairings. Although she will be more like a sister; a foster sister. Kind of like Alaia's KratosxVayla pairing in her 'Restoration' Series. Can anybody figure out what reference the "Master Lloyd" came from? It comes from a video game, so you may not get it; I know of one person in particular who better get it right.  
**Collete:** Who would that be?  
**Me:** They know who they are. And before I forget... OMG OMG OMG!! SSB: BRAWL IS SO EPIC AND AWESOME!!  
**Genis:** You actually went and got it?  
**Me:** Oh no, my brother did. Apparently, when he went (during the day, mind you all) there were plenty of copies left. _O.o_ Please review!_


	3. Meeting of the Hidden Prince

_**The Sage of Spirits:** Chapter 2! Yay. _n.n  
_**Genis:** What was with the wait?  
**Me: **...I was in a lazy slump. _n.n"  
_**Lloyd: **Not surprised  
**Me: **Disclaimer.  
**Colette: **Okay! The Sage of Spirits doesn't own Tales or Namco! However, he does own the Raiki, Raikys, and any OCs. But he partially owns one , and the other part belongs to Alaia Skyhawk.  
**Me:** Sorry for the wait. Please read!_  
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**Hidden Identity**

**Chapter 2: Meeting of the Hidden Prince**

Lloyd took the vanguard as he tried to keep the three Renegades focused on him. Colette worried at the risk the teen was putting himself in and decided to help him hold the front. She threw her chakrams one at a time at the furthest one on the left, slicing his arm with its sharpened edges. Lloyd noticed the injured Renegade and took his chance. He slashed him across the stomach; he collapsed onto the ground.

One down, two to go… Lloyd thought as he narrowed his eyes at the brown-haired man. **_Tell_** **_Uncle that I had to fight this time. I am the prince, after all – I have a duty to fulfill._** Lloyd telepathically told the man, turning toward another as fire balls flew past him.

The man flinched at the telepathic message, but managed to cover up his shock. **_I shall, my princely friend. We will aid you during your journey. Be on the look-out for us._** Botta replied to the teen as he nodded his head. Lloyd had, however, failed to notice, as he was slashing at another Renegade; the man was being bombarded by the incoming fire balls. Colette stood a little ways from him as she threw her chakram, finishing him off.

Lloyd turned his head to Botta as he nodded his head once again. **_Alright, Botta; thanks._** Lloyd replied, finishing off the last of the Renegades. Botta growled at them, Lloyd knowing that it was merely a ruse.

"Blast! Things weren't supposed to happen like this… I'm leaving for now!" he shouted and took off. Lloyd sheathed his swords back into their scabbards, turning his head to the two children behind him.

"I do not understand why two children like yourselves would be doing here, but are you both alright?" Lloyd asked, looking over the two with precision for any marks or scratches.

Genis looked at him with slight offense. "Hey! I'm not a kid!" he shouted back; Lloyd chuckled lightly, looking at him with a glance of disbelief.

"Oh really? I see…" he said, bringing his hand to his mouth.

"Well, who are you?!" Genis shouted back at the teen, a smirk growing on Lloyd's lips. Despite all of the manners that were put into him, there was one line or two that slipped past that…

"Give me your name, and I shall give you mine." he replied, enjoying the scene of the angry half-elf boy.

_I hate this guy already…_ Genis thought, glaring into the teen's red eyes. "I'm Genis. And you can stop calling me a kid!" he said angrily, pouting soon after.

"Don't mind him. He's just worried about his sister." Colette smiled gently, clasping her hands together. "I'm Colette." she said, bowing her head. Lloyd smiled at the girl; she was definitely… polite.

"I'm Lloyd. I had noticed that you were in trouble, so I ran up here as fast as I could." he said as the wooden temple doors slowly opened. Soon, an elderly woman wearing a white robe stepped onto the marble staircase, a cane in her right hand. Colette gasped lightly with joy, knowing that the woman was safe.

"Grandmother!" she shouted, running with open arms towards the old woman. "I'm so glad you're safe! I was afraid the Desians entered the temple!" she said, hugging the now-named grandmother. The elderly lady smiled calmly at the slightly distressed girl, stroking her aged hand through the girl's blonde hair.

"We saw them coming from the temple window and quickly sealed the door, preventing their entry." The woman replied, her wrinkled face revealing a gentle smile. She then turned her attention to Lloyd. "Oh? And who are you, child?"

"Me? I'm Lloyd. I saw that these two were in a tight spot with the Desians," he said, doing his best to keep his expression serious, "and I helped out." he smiled. Slightly noticing that he still held his swords, he quickly sheathed them and walked over to the elderly woman.

"Oh, I thank you for saving my granddaughter, the Chosen One." she said, a light gasp escaping from the teen's mouth.

"She is… the Chosen?" Lloyd said, his eyes widening slightly in shock. Having received nary a single report on the Chosen's appearance, he was definitely surprised. "I would not have guessed…" he chuckled weakly, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"That's okay. A lot of people say I'm not very Chosen-like…" Colette blushed slightly, a smile creeping onto her lips. "Oh! The oracle! Grandmother, I'm going to complete the trial now." she told the woman, who had merely nodded her head. Lloyd was about to follow her into the temple when Phaidra touched his shoulder.

"Lloyd, are you planning on going with her?" she asked simply, her eyes looking slightly concerned; Lloyd nodded his head. "Alright," she said, her face revealing a slight smile, "please stay with her for now. Later on, I would like for you to come to my house, there is something I wish to speak with you about."

"Alright, I will." he said as he turned to enter the temple, Genis not far behind.

"Genis, are you going as well?" Phaidra asked.

"Yes. I want to make sure my sister was okay." he said and ran in before Phaidra could say another word. She sighed lightly, closing her eyes.

"I was going to let him go, I was simply wondering…"

_(--Inside the Temple…--)_

_Hmph, that Lloyd guy is starting to get on my nerves… Always being able to do things I can't…_ Genis pouted as he ran up to where the two teens stood. Only after he arrived at their location – which was in front of a doorway – did he take a look at the building he was not normally allowed in.

A few of the brown pillars had been knocked down as it had become debris, making passage to the west nigh impossible. The brown walls only served to darken the already unlit building, giving off an eerie dread over all who stand within its confines. Colette pushed the tan door, revealing a dark blue warp pad. With a forced smile – and giggle – she walked onto the device and was wisped away, perhaps further into the building.

Lloyd prepared to walk onto the warp pad when Genis ran in from of him. "What? What are you-?" he began when the child warped off, and in good timing.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Lloyd turned around and found a tall, silver-haired woman. He noted how similar she looked to Genis.

"Me? I'm Lloyd. I came here after helping the Chosen out of a mess she had gotten into. Might I ask who you are?" Lloyd asked, slightly cautious of the woman – he saw that glimpse in her eyes…

"Oh? I'm Raine. I'm the teacher at the school. Now if you'll excuse me, there is something I must take care of with a certain boy…" she said as she walked onto the warp pad and took off.

"Ugh, ground-dwellers are so confusing…" he sighed as he finally got to the altar – which took up a great deal of the room. The tan walls circled the room, with a window facing the southeast. Within the center of the altar, there was a red crystalline object – which he deduced as the Cruxis Crystal. Lastly, Lloyd saw how Genis cowered behind Colette as Raine stared angrily at him. "Oh, are you two related?" he asked, knowing by their mana signature that they were. However, he could not reveal that he could sense them in that fashion…

"Yes. He is my younger brother, who should be studying at the school with Colette. Why did you two have to come?" she sighed, placing her hand onto her head.

Genis ran behind Colette again in terror, peeking around her like a scared puppy. "I couldn't let Colette go by herself!"

"Professor, one of the priests came to the school, and he was covered in blood. I knew that I had to come…" Colette said in their defense, hoping the half-elf woman would accept it. "I have to tell Grandmother about the priest… But when we came here, the Desians attacked us! If it weren't for Lloyd, we could have died." she said as she turned to Lloyd, who blushed at the attention he was getting.

He rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. "I merely did what any person should do…" he replied. Raine looked at the red-clad teen with slight shock.

"You saved them from death?" she asked simply out of curiosity; Lloyd nodded his head – albeit weakly, as he thought they were making a big deal out of it. "Then I thank you. Genis is the only family I have left. If he were to leave me, I don't know what I would do."

Lloyd smiled with slight falsity – he knew he was ignorant to what ground-dwellers referred to as "death," so he could not understand why this half-elf woman was so fearful about. "It was nothing – I didn't do that much…"

"Professor, he's very modest!" Colette shouted, clasping her hands together. Raine smiled at the teens, nodding her head in agreement.

"Now Chosen, shouldn't you carry on with the trial?" Lloyd asked as Colette gasped lightly, as if she had forgotten the reason of her coming to the temple. Before she prayed, however, she turned her head towards the twin swordsman.

"Please, call me Colette." she smiled gently, bowing her head. She had not noticed the light blush appearing on his face.

_But I'm normally formal in my speaking... I AM a prince after all…_ he thought as a smile slowly grew on his face. He watched her pray to the altar; a ball of light descended from the roof of the building. Lloyd stared at the object as it turned into a solid-winged angel. _Great, one of my 'brethren' so to speak… Ugh…_ he continued as the angel began to speak.

"I am Remiel, an angel of Cruxis. I am here to guide thee, young Chosen of Sylvarant, to the seals in this world so that you may awaken the Goddess Martel. But first, I must pass onto thee your Cruxis Crystal. Take it, along with the hopes of all of Sylvarant." The angel said as he gently pushed the Cruxis Crystal toward Colette; it formed into a necklace beneath her chin. "With the powers invested in me as an angel of Cruxis, I dub thee the next Chosen of Regeneration."

"Thank you, Lord Remiel." she politely bowed, strains of her blond hair covering her face.

"With this task complete, I will now summon the Tower of Salvation onto the world of Sylvarant." he said, outstretching his arms. Within moments, the ground shook with great ferocity, until the quartet noticed the pearl-slated tower in the southeastern skies.

"Wow! It's the Tower of Salvation! Now everyone won't have to suffer anymore!" Genis shouted merrily, jumping up and down.

"Yeah…" Colette said simply, lowering her eyes slightly.

"Now Chosen One," Remiel began, making sure that the girl was providing him with undivided attention, "head to each of the seals and release them, thus awakening the Summon Spirits along the way as you reach for the tower where the Goddess sleeps."

"I shall do as you instruct, Lord Remiel." Colette replied again, bowing her head with a forced smile on her face. She knew what was to happen to her in the end… But if it meant that she was to save the world, she had to enjoy these last months to their fullest…

"Good, Chosen One. Now, to the south you shall find your first destination. You must brave the pit of flames and awaken the Summon Spirit of Fire. I will await for you there. Good luck." Remiel stated coolly as he began to ascend back into the heavens; he flashed and was soon spirited away.

With her mission accomplished, she let the small group to the lower level of the building, where they stopped in the center of the entry way. "Everyone, are you going to go to my house?" Colette asked, looking at her teacher and the two teens with curiosity. Raine shook her head.

"I'm sorry Colette, but I have a little more to do before I head to your house. Things around here, that is. Phaidra had given me permission to explore the temple – a rare treat for ordinary citizens. After I finish here, I will stop by." she replied, turning to her left at the hidden morals on the walls with exuberant glee. "Oh, and when you get back, please let the children there know that school is dismissed early today. I will meet with you all later." she said and dashed down the hallway, her enthusiasm no longer able to be contained.

Genis, horrified, grabbed both teens' hands and made a beeline for the exit, just as Raine's nerve-wracking laugh echoed throughout the temple. "What was that?" Lloyd said, wincing at the high-pitched noise. Genis looked up in shock.

"Wow Lloyd, you must have really good hearing." Genis said. "Anyway, I wouldn't worry about it – it was just… nothing." Genis said suddenly, giving Lloyd a look of "Don't ask me please, I beg of you."

Lloyd chuckled weakly. "I see…" he said simply, letting the silence consume them as they entered their own thoughts. They walked for twenty minutes until they arrived back into the village, where they entered the schoolroom and dismissed what remained of the class. Colette, smiling gaily, wanted to show Lloyd around the quaint, little village after she took him to her house. After the ten minute walk through the village, they arrived at the northwestern point of the village, where the girl lived.

They walked up the small flight of stairs, Lloyd noticing the small flowerbed on the windowsill outside of the wooden house. The pinkish hues of the flowers well-suited the cheery girl, he thought, as he noticed the wooden door opening on its own. In the doorway stood the priestess from before, a smile gracing her lips as the trio arrived.

"I'm so glad that you all made it back safely. Now then, shall we carry on with the meeting now that you are here, Colette?" she asked calmly, looking back cautiously at the gray-haired man sitting at the end of the table. A couple seats away sat another, younger man of blond hair. Lloyd deciphered him to be the young Colette's father, as the resemblances were rather striking.

"Yes, let's get this meeting over with." The mayor grumbled as he took another drink of iced tea. Colette walked over and took a seat next to the blond-haired man, as Phaidra sat in front of Colette. Bowing his head slightly, Lloyd sat next to Phaidra as Genis sat on the other end of the table.

"Now before we begin," Phaidra began, turning her head towards the two men, "This is my son, Frank." she said, pointing to the blond sitting diagonally from her. "And this is the mayor of this village." she said again, turning her attention to the grumpy old man at the end.

"Hello there. I've heard quite a bit about you, Lloyd." The man began, a smile growing on his face. "I thank you whole-heartedly for saving my daughter from the Desians." he said, bowing his head slightly. Lloyd blushed slightly at the attention he received. (Although one would have thought that he would be used to it by now.)

"It was nothing, really." he said as he looked around the small house. He noticed the sofa that was placed by the window and the small kitchen a little ways from where he sat. A small wave of sympathy washed over him; these people were rather "traditionally old-fashioned," as politely as he could put it.

"Now that introductions have taken place," Phaidra began, bringing her hand up to her aging chin, "We must decide who travels with the Chosen during the Journey of Regeneration." The old lady remarked. Lloyd cleared his throat, signaling that he would like to speak. He inwardly smirked to himself; he was so glad that he knew how to handle himself in front of people – whether they are angels or ground-dwellers…

"Might I suggest that I come along? I managed to save the Chosen once already, and I can handle myself pretty well. I could definitely help out with the journey." he stated, hoping that he was getting through to them that he was perfect for the job. Although he wished that he did not have to do it like that…

"Don't worry, child. I was going to ask you if you could go with her." Phaidra smiled, watching as he began to blush slightly.

"Thanks." he said with a smile. _Otherwise I'd have to tell Father that he would have to use… 'other' methods to have me follow them…_ he thought with a sigh; it scared him at how "persuasive" his father could be.

"Now then, so far we have Lloyd and Colette. You would need a healer, so I will ask Raine to go with you." Phaidra said, turning her head to the window, hoping to catch sight of the elven school teacher.

Genis flinched slightly. They were going to ask Raine. What was he going to do now? He would be alone…

"What does everyone think of having Lloyd and Raine accompanying the Chosen?" the priestess asked the people at the table, receiving nods from most. One head remained completely still, as if they were lost in thought, and the other merely shook his head. "Alright then Lloyd, what do have to say on the matter?" she asked, curious as to the response of the young man.

"I would have to keep my eyes on both the Chosen and Raine – since she is a healer – while keeping up the vanguard. I may be an able swordsman, but even I have my limits. Might I make the suggestion of adding a fourth person to provide help?" Lloyd replied with a question, turning his attention to the half-elf on the end; Lloyd nudged the half-elf next to him slightly as a sign to speak up.

_What is he doing…? Wait! Is he-?!_ Genis thought, mentally widening his eyes; Lloyd was giving him an opening! "Phaidra, if Raine is going and if a fourth person is needed, then I will go. That way, I can help Lloyd if he needs to remain in the fray of battle!" he said with hope, looking around the table to see what the reactions would be.

He went from the stunned face of Frank…

To the slightly concerned, yet happy Colette…

Then over to the angered mayor…

Next to Phaidra, who was just as speechless as Frank, only more concerned…

…Ending with the smirking face of Lloyd. Genis smiled at the teen for the unexpected help.

"Ah, I am not the one to say that," Phaidra began, "but if Raine allows you to go, there is nothing more to say on it. You have my permission, but in the end, your sister has the right to decide for you." she replied to the outrageous comment.

"Alright. Raine said that she was going to stop by your house, so I'll wait here until then." he smiled; he grew startled suddenly, adding, "If you don't mind that is!"

Phaidra lightly chuckled. "Of course, my child."

"Lloyd, would you like something to drink?" Colette asked, slightly concerned that she was not being a good hostess. "I can get you something if you like."

Lloyd frowned; drink? He did not need to drink. Even though he remembered his father telling him that he could if the situation called for it (as the contents would simply be converted into excess mana – mana they really had no need for), Lloyd never had the desire to eat or drink anything. But sighing, he knew he that this must have been the situation his father had mentioned.

"Uh… Yes, please." he said – smoothly, he hoped. With a smile, Colette stood and walked to the kitchen corner. After pulling out a glass, she poured him some tea that sat in a little pitcher, ice easily seen mixed within the drink. Lloyd could tell Colette felt slightly proud of herself, as she looked over her white apparel to see if there was a stain, noticing nothing out of the ordinary.

"Here you go, Lloyd!" she said, handing him the glass carefully. Bringing it close to his mouth cautiously (as he had never thought that he would have to do something like this), he placed his lips onto the cup, slowly drinking part of the contents in the glass. He suddenly felt like he was center attention.

"Thank you for the drink, Chosen."

Colette looked at him, a smile on her face. "Grandmother, might I show Lloyd around the village?" she asked. The elderly lady looked at her with a gentle smile, and with the nod of her head Colette grabbed the teen by the hand and ran out of the house. Genis watched as they left, turning his head toward Phaidra.

"Phaidra, might I ask if you can inform Raine, please?" he said, looking longingly out of the door.

"Of course," she responded, noticing how he wanted to spent his time with his friend, "I will tell her." she said, bending down slightly. "I'll try to throw in a good word." she winked, Genis laughing a bit before taking off.

He ran down the pathway towards the two teens; he saw how Colette was showing him the schoolroom in more detail (as their last visit was far too short to absorb the sight). "Hey Colette! And uh… thanks Lloyd." he blushed, rubbing his head a bit.

Lloyd turned towards the child with a grin. "Anytime. I figured you wanted to go, so I made sure that I worded things carefully."

"Anyway, should we continue?" Colette asked, turning her eyes toward their next destination. Lloyd knew it was going to be a long day…

_(--Later on…--)_

The trio returned to the house in laughter; Phaidra turned her head from the stove and saw the merriment the teens were having. "Colette, did you have fun showing Lloyd around in the village?"

Colette temporarily stopped giggling and smiled happily, nodding her head. "Oh yes, we did! Thank you for asking, Grandmother." she replied, sniffing the air with delight. "Oh, Grandmother, are you making chicken today? What's the occasion?" she asked, confusion hitting her on the face.

"My dear, with today being your birthday, it is to be expected." Phaidra said, pulling the meat from the fire-burning stove carefully, placing their dinner on the counter. "And with the goddess, all-knowing, provided us with this free meal. The man next door provided the chicken for us."

"Today's your birthday?" Lloyd asked in slight shock, watching the girl nod her head slowly. "I'll have to get you something later." he smiled; Colette flushed profusely.

"No, no! You don't have to!" she responded, hoping to turn the awkward conversation towards something else.

Genis stared at the fowl with hungry eyes. "Wow Phaidra, that looks really good!" he shouted with glee, jumping up and down.

"If you like, I can teach you the recipe so you can have it later," she said, turning her eyes over to the unnoticed half-elf at the table, "but for now, why don't we all have some dinner?"

"Alright! Are you serious?! I get to have some?!" Genis yelled, widening his eyes. That was when he felt something hit the back of his head. He turned and suddenly realized that his sister was here. "Raine?! When did you get here?!"

"I've been here. I was told that Lloyd suggested having a fourth person in the group, and you volunteered. Do I have that right?"

"Yeah."

"I see." Raine walked behind the two boys and within minutes, she smacked them both in the head. "Don't you think I'm smarter than that to know what you two are planning?!" she yelled as Genis rubbed the back of his head.

Lloyd stood there, completely dazed; was he… just smacked? He, a noble prince, was smacked by some ground-dweller? "Did you… just hit me?" he asked innocently, blinking his eyes in shock. Raine looked at him with slight concern; what was he talking about? Of course she did!

"Yes, I did – like I wouldn't figure out what you were planning while you were out sightseeing. Why should he go?" Raine was obviously no longer talking sense, Lloyd thought, as ground-dwellers tend to get confused when they are angry. So Lloyd did what he was taught to counteract that…

He turned his head and glared fiercely at the woman. He changed his tone of voice so that it was so cold, his breath could have frozen. "Why? Because I cannot handle everything myself, thus a fourth person is needed. And Genis volunteered for that, not only because he wanted to help, but also because he wanted to be with you. Is that a problem?" he asked, continuing his intimidating stare.

Raine tried to match his anger-filled eyes (as that is what they appeared to be to her) with her own look of fury, yet the teen had not relented once. The silent showdown suddenly ended as Raine gave a sigh of defeat. "Fine, he may go. But if something happens to him, you are to correct it. Understood?"

Lloyd smirked arrogantly; he was glad he had his father's eyes and the fact that he himself taught Lloyd how to handle situations such as these. "Of course. The protection of the Chosen has now increased. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Colette grew tense at the situation, knowing that it was actually about her the entire time. "Please, let's eat this delicious-looking dinner. I'll say the prayer." Colette smiled, hearing the gasp escaping from Lloyd's lips. The two opposing forces sighed and apologized (to each other that is) before taking a seat at the table. After Colette finished the prayer, they began to eat. Lloyd could not help but be slightly concerned.

…Then he actually tasted the food. "Wow, this is good!" he said, surprised at the wonderful taste it had. Although he had never really eaten before, he had still yet to see the actual usefulness for him in doing so…

"Thank you, Lloyd." The old lady replied when a thought came to her mind. "That reminds me, Lloyd, might I ask that you stay here for this night? My house is a little small, though."

Lloyd shook his head. "No, no! That is fine! I don't mind that at all!" he said, after he finished eating – not that it was a lot, just enough to hide his secrets.

He hoped.

After they had finished, they talked about what they should do before the journey began. Soon, however, the sun had already set. "Phaidra, I thank you for your hospitality in inviting us for dinner," Raine said with a smile, "it was delicious as usual. But now we must leave. We have to pack, after all – it will be a big day tomorrow."

"Yes, yes, my child, it was no trouble at all. It was the least this old lady could do for you on your last night in the village. We shall see you both soon." she said as they left. She then walked to the closet and pulled out a pillow and blanket, gently placing them on the sofa. "I hope this will do for you for the night." she said as she walked to the stairs.

"Of course it will. You've done far more than you had to. Thanks." Lloyd said as he lay on the piece of furniture.

"Good night, child." she said and retreated up the stairs as darkness filled the room.

"Good night." Lloyd responded as he folded his arms over his chest. He sighed; what was he to do?

_At least they placed me by the window – I could look at the stars._ he mused, relaxing into position. He smiled as he watched the stars come into view. During the night however, he frowned as he heard the soft sobs of a person crying…

* * *

_**Me:** I liked how I ended it for some reason.  
**Colette:** Who was the one that was crying?  
**Lloyd:** ...  
**Genis: **It was-  
**Me:** Don't worry about it, m'dear. _n.n"  
_**Colette:** Oh, okay!_ n.n  
_**Me:** Please review!_


	4. Getting to Know Each Other

_**Sage:** Chapter 3. I don't own Tales of Symphonia._**

* * *

**

**Hidden Identity**

**Chapter 3: Getting to Know Each Other**

Lloyd heard the family upstairs stirring and knew it was time to be out of bed. He did not understand this "sleep" process ground-dwellers did every night. Then again, of course, he never got tired. With that said, he figured he was simply ignorant to their behavior. He got off the couch, neatly folding the blanket before placing it onto the cushion, the pillow on top of it. He then sat at the table, patiently waiting for the family to come down.

Several moments later, he heard the elderly woman slowly making her way down the stairs, her cane tapping against the wooden steps. She was already wearing her priestess robes and her hair in a neat bun. "Oh, Lloyd. I hope we didn't keep you up." she said, a hint of concern on her face.

Lloyd simply chuckled. "Oh, do not worry. I just woke up." he said, trying to withhold his laughter at the thought. "Anyway, is the Chosen awake?"

Phaidra smiled, knowing that the boy was not disturbed during the night. "Yes, she is packing her last minute items into her bag. Frank is helping her, while trying to keep her from packing too much."

Lloyd smiled, getting an idea. "If she allows it, I can carry some of her items. As long as it is not any of her clothing." he chuckled again, pulling out his bag. "I travel pretty lightly, so if she needs it, I can offer my assistance in carrying things."

Phaidra smiled once more at the helpful lad. "I will ask her."

However, Lloyd shook his head. "Please, allow me to ask – assuming that she is fully clothed. I could not ask you to go up and down the stairs just to inform me of whether or not she would agree." he said, walking over to the stairs.

"Are you sure, my child? I do not mind at all."

"I simply must insist. Please, allow me to save you the trouble." Lloyd said again, a gentle smile on his face.

Phaidra closed her eyes, her smile remaining in place. "You are such a selfless, thoughtful boy. I couldn't say no now even if I wanted to." she said, walking over to the sofa. Lloyd, noticing what she was doing, hurried over and helped her. He moved the bedding he had used last night out the way. "Thank you. Your parents must be so proud of you for being such a proper gentleman."

"My parents were sticklers to proper etiquette, so I was drilled regularly in manners. Respect to all people was also a part of that." he told the priestess. He then walked over to the stairs, a foot one the bottom step. "Chosen, may I come up?" he asked loudly, hoping she heard him.

However, he was surprised to hear a light crash. "Y-Yes! And I'm fine!" she responded; Lloyd walked up the stairs, his eyes widened at the sight. Colette was on the ground, her foot caught in her bedding, which was now a mess. "Heh… Really, I'm fine." she weakly giggled, smiling lightly. Frank stood out of the way, a weak smile on his face. He continued to pack things into her bag.

Lloyd could not hold back a small grin. "Need a hand?" he asked, kneeling and grabbing her hand. He pulled her up and fixed her bed, smoothing it out to prevent wrinkles.

"Thank you, Lloyd." She responded, running her hands over her dress, a hidden blush on her face.

"It was no trouble at all, Chosen." he responded with a light bow, a gentle expression on his face. Looking around the room, he spotted a small, round table, a pink tablecloth overtop it. On that cloth was a potted plant, it's petals in bloom. Off to the side, two beds were on both sides of the window. He assumed that was where the other two members of the family slept. He found Frank with Colette's bag on his bed, sorting out anything and everything that might slow her down. "At any rate, Chosen, I heard that you two were trying to pack while keeping your bag light. Am I wrong?"

"Ah, no! I'm still packing a few things! But Father keeps taking things out because he's worried it would be too heavy for me." she frowned slightly, turning her head to the man. "I hope I'm not keeping you waiting." she said with a bow.

"Chosen, do not worry about me – it is fine. Take as long as you need. But I digress. I think I might be able to help you with that dilemma." he said, closing his eyes slightly as a smile appeared on his face. "As long as it is not clothing, some of your stuff could go in my bag. I travel pretty lightly, so it would be no trouble for me to carry a little more."

Colette gasped lightly at the gesture, a deep blush on her face. "O-Oh! I-I couldn't possibly-!" she responded, unsure of what to say. "I couldn't ask you do to something like that on my behalf, even if I was the Chosen One!"

Lloyd started to laugh at her innocence, something he had not expected in her somehow. "Please, do not worry about me. It would be no trouble. I'm just glad I'm able to provide you with some aide before the journey starts." he said, walking over toward the father. "If you do not mind, would you mind handing me some of her belongings so that I may put them into mine to lighten her load?"

"Ah…" she said, closing her eyes; she brought her hands to her torso, folding them neatly over her chest. "Thank you for your help!"

"It is my pleasure, Chosen."

Frank nodded and scavenged through the items that he put in her bag, pulling out some of the supplies he had placed inside. "I'll take out some of her supplies that were given to her over the course of the past weeks, such as gels, but please, would you do me one favor?"

"I know, and I will." he instantly reassured the man, figuring what he was going to say. "I'll make sure that she lives to reach the Tower of Salvation, on my honor." he told him; luckily, Frank would think of his honor as a mercenary, not as a prince. "Plus we have two others who will be there to help me protect her from the Desians, and anyone who would try and harm her."

Colette looked at him with encouraged awe. "Lloyd…" she smiled lightly, her eyes welling up. "Thank you very much!" she giggled, stepping off to the side. She wiped her eyes dry with her sleeve, the tears temporarily staining it.

Frank smiled at the boy's confidence. He knew Lloyd would keep his word. "Thank you. Now then, let us finish with the bag exchanges and then head downstairs for breakfast." he asked, chuckling to himself. "You both must be hungry." he said, unknowing of Lloyd's hidden worry.

_How many times do they eat in a day…?_ Lloyd thought, mentally raising an eyebrow._ Geez, half of their life must be dedicated to eating…_ he continued as he was handed the items that were going with him. He secretly smirked, stealthily placing them into the wingpack that was sitting at the bottom of his bag.

"That's enough, Lloyd. I don't want you to be overloaded." Frank said after a while, looking into Colette's bag to see how much room there would be before he drew the line on weight.

"Alright then." he replied, figuring that it was for the best. "Chosen, do you have everything you need?"

Colette looked at her bag thoughtfully. "I should have just about everything – just a few more things and…" she said, walking over to her dresser; she picked up a few things and scurried over to her bag, placing them inside. "…Done! Thank you very much for helping, Lloyd. I'm sorry to have kept you from breakfast." she said, lowering her head.

Lloyd would have looked at her with a raised eyebrow were he not forced to pretend. "It's nothing, Chosen. I'm glad to have been of some assistance."

"I know." she giggled, looking up at him. "Oh! We should go see if Grandmother is finished with breakfast." she said, walking toward the stairs and heading down.

Lloyd was about to follow when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Yes? Is there something that you need?"

"I thought that I should tell you something before you leave. Something important." Frank said, turning serious. His head was lowered, his voice no louder than a whisper. "It's about Colette."

Lloyd, nodding his head, whispered back. "What about her?" he asked, trying to sound curious, he had a feeling he knew what it was.

Frank paced quietly, as if thinking about how to word what he was about to say. "When she gets to the Tower of Salvation, when she is finished regenerating the world, she will…" he paused, grabbing his shirt in pain. "she will… die." he finally said; the blow was apparently too much for him, as he sat himself down onto his bed.

Lloyd gasped lightly, his eyes full-blown in shock. Granted, he had already known the process of "regeneration" (via his father), but no one else knew that. "Wh… What? What do you mean? How do you know?"

Frank kept his head hung low. "It is one of the tightly kept secrets of the priesthood. Long ago, we were able to get a hold of Spiritua's Scriptures, which told us about her completed journey as a Chosen. You see, one of her companions held onto a close record of her travels, written by Spiritua herself." he said, taking a quick breath. "It's all in the angelic language, so most don't know of the secrets it holds – that the last entry in her journal was written by someone else, telling about her death upon regenerating the world."

"That's…" he responded, eyes turned toward the floor. "This Chosen is so innocent… She has to die to save the world?"

"I know. That's why it's so hard for me to let go. She's my daughter – parents are supposed to die before their children…" he said, again, no louder than a whisper. His arms fell limp at his side, his head foggy. "I can honestly say that I've tried to talk her out of doing the journey. Countless times, I have. But she gave me the same response every time. You know what that response is?"

"What?"

"'But the world needs to be regenerated, or everyone will die…' She loves Sylvarant – a little too much, I think. But that's just me, I suppose…" Frank continued, eyes remaining distant. "What I don't understand is that she's still willing to do so, even though it really scares her. Some time during the night, she started to cry." he said, too disturbed to notice Lloyd's sudden, light gasp." There was nothing I could do to comfort her. She fell asleep after a while."

_So the Chosen was the one I heard last night…_ he mentally sighed, finding himself staring at the floor once more. He continued to listen to the man speak.

"It's… depressing. There was nothing I could do to calm her down, nothing I could say that would make her feel better, knowing full well that this was her last night as a semi-normal girl, and the last night she would see us alive." he said; the mood was getting too depressed for Lloyd's taste, it seemed, but he could not leave the man alone like this…

"Frank?" Phaidra called out once she got to the top of the stairs; she had a worried look on her face. "Come now, Frank, be strong for Colette." she said as she placed her hand onto his shoulder. The man weakly nodded, wiping his eyes dry.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that, Lloyd." Frank said, standing up. "It's embarrassing that a complete stranger watched like that…"

Lloyd however, shook his head. "No, I understand that you would find it hard. I know I'd be in worse shape if either of my parents died." he responded, biting his lip; he did not understand – how could he? It was hard to lie at that moment, he realized. But he had to – it was for the best.

"Now then," Phaidra said, forcing a smile, "why don't we have some breakfast? The Sages will be coming when they finish their last minute packing and breakfast, so we should hurry before they come." she said, walking for the stairs. Lloyd took his time going down after her, as he did not want to make her fall. Upon getting to the bottom of the stairs, he saw Colette sitting at the end of the table, a smile on her face. The food was already on the table, meager as it was – the remains of the chicken they had the previous night, several slices of bread, and some eggs.

"Oh, Chosen." Lloyd said, rather startled. "I hope I have not kept you from eating – you must be starving by now."

"It's okay." she said, keeping her bright smile revealed. "I can wait for as long as I need to. But now that everyone is here, may I say the morning prayer?" she asked, eyes widening a little in curiosity. Phaidra nodded her head, taking her seat at the other end of the table, Lloyd and Frank also taking their seats. "Oh Goddess Martel, we thank you for another beautiful morning – and may this breakfast give us the strength to do what must be done this day. Let us eat." she said, taking a small piece of the leftover chicken.

"Chosen, please, take a larger piece – you need to have your strength up more than anyone else." Lloyd chided lightly, taking a small piece of chicken, a single egg and a few slices of bread. "We cannot have you collapsing as soon as we leave the village."

"Are you sure?" she asked; Lloyd simply nodded his head. "Alright then. But since I took this piece, I'll just take another small piece then." she smiled back.

As they were eating – much to Lloyd's confusion, as he had no idea why he should be eating, Phaidra turned her head to the small bags that were sitting by the front door. "Oh, Frank, when you have time, would you mind taking the remains of the chicken hide and the bones to their proper destinations? I'm sure the weavers and craftsmen would make good use of them. After all, we shouldn't let the rest of the chicken go to waste."

"Of course, Mom." Frank said with a nod as he grabbed another slice of bread. "I want the both of you to be eating as much as you can, so you have your energy. And Colette, don't forget about the food that we packed in your bag too – make sure you eat when you get hungry, alright?" he said, getting jittery and worrisome over her upcoming departure.

"Don't worry, Father. I will." she said in response, a light giggle resounding from her lips. She looked at the table, noting how all of the food was eaten. "I'll clean up, Grandmother. It can be the last thing I do here…" she stated, getting onto her feet. She picked up her plate, placing it into the plate where the bread had once been. "Grandmother, are you finished with your plate?"

"Yes, dear. Here you go." she said, placing her dish on top of the girl's plate.

"Thank you, Grandmother," she giggled lightly, shutting her eyes, "but you didn't have to do that. I would have done that for you…"

Phaidra revealed a large smile on her face, her wrinkled visage truly resembling a kind, old woman. "Please, dear, think nothing of it. I was happy to have helped. Lloyd, Frank, are you both finished as well?" she asked the two men, both of whom nodded at the same time; they – much to Colette's quite dismay – placed their dishes on top of each others and sat them on the other two plates.

"Okay! I'll take them over to the sink!" Colette said happily, lifting the dishes up with both arms, her hands on the edges of the plates to balance the weight. Taking the few steps over to the kitchen, she gently slid them into the sink. "Grandmother, should I wash them?"

"No, dear – I shall take care of it later, mainly because I see the Sages coming now. Go upstairs and retrieve your bag." she said, heading for the door to greet them.

"Okay!" she said enthusiastically, preparing to head for the stairs; however, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw that it was Lloyd's. "Yes? What is it?"

"Please, I'll go and grab your bag. I need to retrieve mine as well, so I'll grab yours while I'm there." he said, heading up the stairs before she could give a response. _There's something about him that feels… I don't know… What's the word? _she asked herself, tilting her head in confusion. _It feels… Hmm… special. No… That doesn't seem to be what it feels like, but that's the only thing I can think of… _she said, lost in her own thoughts; she was unaware that Lloyd was already returning, her bag in his left hand. "Oh, thank you, Lloyd!" she said with glee, snapping out of her thoughts. She placed her bag onto her back.

"It was no trouble, Chosen." he smiled; he then noticed her frown and tilted his head. "What's wrong?"

"Umm…" she said, placing her hands close to her face; suddenly, she bowed, her golden hair falling onto her sides. "Please, call me 'Colette.' You don't have to call me 'Chosen.' I'm not very Chosen-like…"

Lloyd found that he could not suppress his chuckling. Colette looked at him; what was so funny? "Chosen, it does not matter that you feel 'un-Chosen-like.' You are the Chosen, and as a complete stranger, I cannot call you anything personal. At least not yet." he said, bringing his gloved hand to his mouth to cover up his last bout of laughter. "I'm sorry, but it is a habit of mine – being proper, I mean. Once we have traveled together for a while, I'll honor that respect and call you by name. Will that do?"

"Okay!" she smiled back, heading out the door. Lloyd followed her out, meeting with the Sage siblings. "Hey Professor! Hey Genis! Are you both ready?" she asked the duo, who nodded their heads.

"Yeah! I'm ready! I got my biggest bag that I could carry a lot of stuff without having it be too heavy for me! I put my clothes, books, cooking items and some food inside it! And don't worry – I'll do all of the cooking!"

"Genis, you do know that I'm carrying some ingredients on me as well, along with some of my belongings too." Raine said, waging her finger lightly, a gentle sigh escaping her lips. "I see you two are ready to leave?"

They nodded their heads. "Yeah. Shall we head for the exit then?" Lloyd said, taking the lead; the three followed him, Phaidra and Frank behind them.

As they neared the exit, Phaidra called out to the teen, asking him to stop. Confused, he turned around, the others doing the same. "Colette, the Chosen One, may your journey be filled of happiness, and may you stay safe. Your journey… begins now." she said, throwing some kind of powder at them; it was released into the air as clouds formed around them, as if it were some protective barrier. "Good luck, Colette." she said with a forced smile.

"Good-bye, Colette." Frank said, leaning in close to her ear. "You are my pride and joy – I could not be any happier to have had you." he said, feeling his eyes water; bringing his sleeve to his eyes, he wiped them dry. He then hugged her tightly, Phaidra joining them.

"Good-bye, Father, Grandmother. I love you both…" she said, starting her journey. Colette waved good-bye to the people of Iselia, knowing full well that she was destined to never see them again...

_(--Along the Road…--)_

"Hey Lloyd, what's that on your hand? Is it some kind of jewel?" Genis said, having been relatively quiet while they were walking; he had just noticed the dark-blue crystal implanted onto the back of Lloyd's left hand.

"Huh? Oh, you mean this." the teen said, bringing his gloved hand up to his face; he pointed at the gem. "This is an exsphere. It enhances one's abilities so that you can become stronger. While I'm at home, I do not wear it so that I can gain strength on my own in case it is removed with the Key Crest. But when I travel, I use it just so that I know I'm safe, and for my parent's sake as well."

"So in other words, it acts as a catalyst to strengthen whoever it is attached to?" Raine concluded, watching the teen nod his head. "Now what role does the Key Crest play in the exsphere?"

"I don't know all of the specifics. But from what I've heard, it keeps the exsphere from getting you sick and keeps the power of the exsphere from going out of control if it gets removed."

"What happens if the exsphere is removed without a Key Crest?" Genis asked, sounding a little terrified at the thought; his mind turned toward the elderly woman he met with at the ranch. He frowned, quickly hiding it; he forgot to say good-bye to her!

"My father told me that they turn into some horrid beast. But I don't know the entire truth of it." Lloyd said, his eyes narrowed as if in anger. "Now then, how are you all holding up?" he asked as they continued walking down the path. "It will probably take us a few days until we reach the House of Salvation, according to my map, so we can pace ourselves a bit. If you need a break, do not hesitate to ask."

"That is actually a wise decision. Let's do that." Raine said, looking at the girl sadly. "Colette would never ask, and it's easy to see that she's exhausted. Genis, why don't you make us a light snack? And then you can go on about these exspheres, Lloyd." she said with mild intrigue. "Can anyone use an exsphere?" she asked as she sat down onto a nearby outcrop, making sure that the surface was not too rocky.

The teen nodded his head, planting himself onto the ground. "Yeah. As long as you have a Key Crest to go with it, anyone can use it. Though only if you have a Key Crest." Lloyd said, hoping that she would not pry any further. Kratos had only told him so much, after all.

"Key Crests and exspheres are what kind of art? I've never heard of them in such detail before." Raine said after a while, a thoughtful look on her face. Her head leaned against her hand, her elbow resting on a smoother part of the rock.

"I was told they were dwarven arts. I do not know where you can find any dwarfs, nor do I know where to find any exspheres or Key Crests." he said, turning his eye to Colette, who was resting underneath the nearest tree. "We should get you all one of each. That way, it will ensure that we get through the journey a little safer."

Raine took in the information that he threw out. She thought about how they would be able to get their hands on them. "Perhaps we can find some with a traveling merchant. I've heard of them dealing with everyone, even dwarfs. So maybe we could find some exspheres or Key Crests with them, or hopefully both, if we're lucky." she presumed, rubbing her chin. "Is that all you know about them?"

"Yeah." The boy replied, nodding his head. He was handed a plate from Genis, a sandwich on it. Lloyd smiled a bit; at least it was not something big – that did not mean he liked the idea of eating, however. He removed his gloves and took a bite of his sandwich. His eyes widened considerably. He placed the sandwich back onto the plate and ran behind the tree Colette was just at and spat out what he had eaten. Whatever it was, he did not like it. When he got back, he needed to find out just what caused that reaction.

"Lloyd, are you alright?" Colette asked with worry. He had gotten up without warning. "Was there something that you didn't like about your sandwich?"

Lloyd nodded his head. "I'm alright. it's just something I ate. Genis, what was in that sandwich?" he asked the boy; he took his seat and lifted the piece of bread off, spotting something green, something white, something brown, and something red…

"Huh? Oh, just a thin slice of meat, some lettuce, a bit of mayonnaise for a sweeter taste, and a tomato. Why? Is there something that you didn't like? Was it the tomato? I've heard of a lot of people who don't like them…" Genis replied, tilting his head.

Lloyd felt extremely nervous; he did not know as much about food – as he never had to eat before – so how was he to know what made him do that? He picked up the tomato and bit into it; he started to gag. "That's it…" he moaned, hurrying back to the same tree to remove the contents from his mouth. He had to think of something fast; they were probably thinking he was nuts right about now for just realizing his distaste toward the red object. "I… could not tell what it was that bothered me because it was mixed in…" he said, hoping they would take the bait.

Genis started laughing. Lloyd narrowed his eyes in annoyance; what was so funny? "Lloyd, your reactions were hysterical!" he said, continuing his laughter; quickly, though, he calmed down, noting the angry look on the teen's face. "Sorry, Lloyd, I didn't know you don't like tomatoes. I'll make sure that your sandwiches don't have tomatoes in the future," he replied sheepishly.

"Thanks." he said, removing the fruit from his lunch. He began to eat again without a distraction, hoping that none would question him. He found the caressing wind relaxing as it ran through his hair. He inwardly frowned; it still felt a little weird to actually be on solid ground. To see flowers actually growing along the road, sprouting from the blessed earth… The feeling was similar, but just not the same as being in the sky.

"If we are done, we should get going." Raine said, getting onto her feet. Helping Genis pack up his belongings, she inspected the boy as if something had happened in the twenty minutes they were there. Feeling satisfied, she got into her position, the rest following suit. They continued on for the House of Salvation.

"Hey Lloyd," Colette asked, a little nervous, "where are you from?"

Lloyd flinched slightly. Crud. He was hoping that they were not going to ask that. What should he tell them? He began to sweat at the thought. Sure, he knew about the cities of Sylvarant, but suppose they went to the one he chose? He had to act fast. "Oh… well, my parents and I live in a wooded area, away from the villages." he replied, hoping they would not pry any further.

"Oh…" she said. "Is there anything that you like?" she asked, tilting her head.

Things that he liked. He could answer that easily enough. "I like to look at the stars with my father. We had a great view of the sky at night, so we would sit outside and talk about the stars."

"Aw, how nice!" Colette said, clasping her hands together. "You must really like your father, huh? What's he like?"

Lloyd felt something in his mind telling him he was going too far. He could not say why, really, it was more of a nagging hunch. "My father is great man." he began, trying to think of a way to continue his train of thought without revealing too much. "He was a… mercenary, so we always had money. There was nothing he could not do."

"Wow… I hope I get to meet him someday!" she said, ignorant to the glint in her professor's eyes.

"So Lloyd," Raine began, a smirk growing on her face, "you said that your father is a mercenary. Is there any chance of getting him to help us on this journey?"

Lloyd froze. He should have listened to that nagging voice after all. He began to panic – his father was busy enough leading the angelic nation. He had no time to deal with the Chosen's journey. That was why he had come, after all. "Uh…" he paused, thinking of his excuse. "Last I checked he was on a mission. He left a little before I did." he lied, burrowing him further into his trap.

"Oh, I see…" Raine said with a frown. "Well, is there a way he can help with funds? There is only so much we have and can get from selling what we get from monsters."

The teen began to relax. At least he could answer that he had some money on him. But he had to be careful; he was already getting in over his head. "He gave me some money before he left, so I can help with that."

"Really? Well, I appreciate that, Lloyd. We are poor people, after all." she said, noting the wince she received from Lloyd. "It's surprising, though. We barely get by with what I get from teaching at the school. You must have been happy knowing you never had to worry about going hungry."

Lloyd lowered his head, feeling guilty of his position. While he did not have to worry about eating, literally, people below were starving. He was speechless.

"Oh? You have nothing to say? I suppose that something like this would shock you, wouldn't it? The fortunate never think about those worse off than them." she said out of spite.

Lloyd shut his eyes, turning away from the woman and shaking his fists. He was not helping the ones who truly needed assistance. "You will not…" he began when he was interrupted.

"What was that? I can't hear you."

"Professor!" Colette shouted at the teacher, gasping at what she was doing. "Why are you doing this? He can't help it!" she pleaded, throwing her arms up and down. "Stop it!"

Lloyd turned around, eyes still shut. "You will not go hungry while I'm around. On my honor." he said, turning his back on them. He continued down the pathway.

Raine smiled, pleased how things have gone her way. _Perhaps there is hope yet._ she thought, following the teen. Colette and Genis stared with horror at what Raine had done. Snapping out of their stupor, they ran after the pair, thinking of a way to placate the teen...

* * *

_**Me:** There we go. And yes, it was basically a filler.  
**Lloyd:** Well, that's useful.  
**Colette:** Huh? I liked it...  
**Genis:** Well, I guess you would like anything, Colette.  
**Me:** Review Please._


End file.
